The Trainer's Journey: Why idiots go far
by The Final Lament
Summary: David's dreamed of being a trainer his whole life now a year younger than his fellow trainers and thrown in at the deepend of a multiregion research project,he finds battling is just the start. First he must conquer his fear, his temper and then the gyms
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the pokemon franchise

* * *

Author's Note: And here it is, the much unawaited (and completely unanounced) prequel to one of more popular fics Pokemon: Training Regime

David broke camp early. Another hard day of traveling should see him all the way to Prof. Rowan's lab. It took him just an hour to pack away the tent before addressing his current problem – his supplies. Being almost the youngest by a year in the group that was traveling to Rowan's for a starter pokemon, he had been falling further and further behind the group until last night he had been two hours behind everyone else, due to this he was now running low on repels and with less pokemon attacking in the day he had decided to set out early and hope not to be attacked.

With a quick meal of a few of his remaining cereal bars he set off at a brisk pace with high hopes of reaching the lab by late afternoon.

* * *

The nine year old child plunged blindly through the undergrowth, a loud barking coming from behind him as almost literally on his heels a pack of Poochyena gave chase.

Screaming out loud in blind panic the boy tripped on a root, without enough time to get back up he hurried to open his pack, fear made his fingers numb and inefficient as he fumbled with the straps. The howls of the hunting pack got louder as they neared.

Finally with a loud tear the strap broke and the boy reached in and pulled out his last can of repel and sprayed copious amounts in the air, holding the small can in the direction of the Poochyena as though it were an actual weapon.

With a mutual yelp of surprise and fear the pack ran off in the other direction. The child got up leaving his now empty and broken back pack behind him as he continued to run blindly into the woods.

* * *

The adrenaline of fleeing for his life now long gone, the boy trudged slowly on, slowly pushing his way through the long grass which had replaced the woods he'd left behind about an hour ago, his arms and legs bled profusely through his ragged clothes from thin cuts inflicted by the long blades of grass, as though if not only the pokemon had it in for him but the very land itself.

Slipping over on a dew-drenched patch of earth the child found himself looking once more at the moon which was now high in the sky, the stars seemed to wink at him. How nice it would be to finally take a rest he thought. Knowing that he couldn't afford to indulge such thoughts he forced himself on and marched through the grass once more, now grateful for the cuts being inflicted upon his fatigued body, it was all that was keeping him awake.

* * *

The boy continued to stagger onwards, running on just will alone now and with the fog of sleep descending upon his mind, confusing his thoughts and weakening his limbs, he knew he was hallucinating for around him the stars had replaced themselves with street lights and the grass - which he knew was still cutting him despite being unable to see or feel it – had replaced itself with streets and pavements.

Staggering onwards through his hallucination he caught a glimpse of the sky, the sun was on the verge of dragging itself from behind a hill, he had been going for almost a whole day, arm swinging aimlessly he sprayed the last of his can of repel wildly in the hopes it would see off the pokemon which would surely be circling him already, waiting, and waiting and waiting for the moment when he would drop, completely defenceless.

In his mind he had finally reached Professor Rowan's labs, but he couldn't carry on any more, the fatigue was finally claiming his mind and body in an unstoppable wave. Exhausted, bleeding, hungry, thirsty and for all he knew dying; the boy finally succumbed to the fog in his mind. An hour later as the sun finally surfaced a very surprised Professor Rowan fell over the unconscious body on his doorstep. Despite everything David had made it.

* * *

David woke, much to his own surprise, even more to his surprise he was in a hospital bed. Slowly and also painfully he sat up. Looking around and seeing noone he even more slowly got out of the bed and headed for the door.

One of the nurses found him ten minutes later where he'd collapsed halfway to the door. Protesting constantly David was led back to the hospital bed.

"Let me go." He mumbled weakly, "Got to get to Professor Rowan. Starter... pokemon... missed it. How long out?"

"Ah you're one of the newbies." The Nurse Joy said thoughtfully. " I probably should have guessed, few other people are stupid enough to try and get through the long grass alone. As for how long you've been out, just a day and a half"

"Wasn't alone. Fell behind" David mumbled. "Starters gone. Wasted journey."

Realising she was having to supply most of the conversation Nurse Joy tried to fill the silence.

"Don't worry the starter pokemon aren't being given out till tomorrow and Rowan has insisted you are at the front of the cue, he believes that someone that determined to get a pokemon will go far."

"Nearly died. Rubbish trainer." David carried on his nearly incoherent half sentences.

"You'll be fine in a week or two, you didn't break anything. And you will make a brilliant trainer I'm sure of it."

David sat up straighter and seemed more attentive at that. "How do you know?" He said, finally remembering how to use a full sentence.

"Let's see, you're determined, stubborn and borderline suicidal, all the hallmarks of a top trainer."

David smiled weakly. "Thanks. I think."

"Good now rest." And with that Nurse Joy left.

David slept soundly as his body began the process of healing.

* * *

Author's Note: Please I'm begging here, just one review. Pleeeeeeeaaaassssse!!!!


	2. Chapter 2

The next day David staggered up proudly to receive his selected starter, a Piplup, not many male trainers chose the cute little penguin pokemon going instead for the far tougher looking Chimchar and Turtwig. But David had chosen it not for how it looked but for how useful it would be, out of the four regions of Sinnoh, Heonn, Johto and Kanto three of them had a rock pokemon gym leader as the easiest gym. Perfect for a beginning trainer who had a strategy.

Not that David only viewed his pokemon as tools but as he was a year younger than most starting trainers he had to seem professional to be taken seriously. Still he hoped that he and his new pokemon would be friends.

It was only after everyone had received their pokemon that David realised that he had a quite a few problems:

He no longer had a backpack to store food and other necessary equipment

He no longer had any food or other necessary equipment

He had no money to buy a backpack, food or necessary equipment

He was about to return to the pokemon centre when Prof. Rowan approached him.

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"David, Professor."

"Well David you seem to be made of pretty stern stuff and I need some help with my research."

"Not sure I can be of much use sir, I am only starting out as a trainer and I have realised that I don't even have any money to buy food."

"Tell me David. Have you heard of the Pokedex?"

"Yes Professor, it is a device that acts as a trainer's license whilst also providing information on any known pokemon that are in the area as well as any moves known by that pokemon and other miscellaneous information."

"A textbook answer and mainly correct, however the Pokedex is not complete nor will it ever be. Because of this my fellow academics and I hire beginning trainers to help us with our research as they travel, all you have to do is write down any pokemon behaviour you observe and we pay you if it is useful. The project itself is League funded. Which reminds me, your Pokedex. Please follow me."

Warily and more than slightly confused David followed the somewhat eccentric professor into his lab.

The old man opened a cabinet which swung slowly round to reveal row upon row of Pokedex. The odd thing about them though was that they weren't all the traditional red, there were blues, greens, yellows, whites, black and even one which had the pokemon league logo and pokemon league colours emblazoned on its cover.

The Professor caught David's bemused look.

"We've had some complaints as to the lack of individuality within the colour scheme, trainers said it made them feel somewhat valueless when they met fellow project members with the exact same Pokedex. I can't think why."

David hesitated.

"Go on pick one." said Rowan indicating the shelf.

Hesitantly David reached out, his hand hovered briefly over the blue, and League colour schemed one before finally settling on one with an obsidian black cover which shone with reflected light despite it's dark colouring. Pocketing the Pokedex David turned to face the professor.

"Thank you sir, but what is it you actually expect me to do?"

"Well as much as I'd hate to impose upon your plans would you mind going to one of the other regions, you see these Pokedex are specific to Sinnoh so I was hoping you could relay to me some information for pokemon from other regions, I understand completely if you refuse of course but it would be much appreciated and the job will pay quite handsomely. Normally I'd just get information from the students of my fellow Professors but ever since we upgraded the pokedex with some of the basic PokeGear functions they became a lot more expensive to produce so instead of enlisting every trainer who turns up we have to choose the most likely two each year. My fellow professors have opted out from this course of action but I hope that this gamble will pay off."

"Well I wouldn't mind, Professor but how am I supposed to get there?"

"Ah that's easy, I just need to call in a favour to get you a lift to Snowpoint and from there the boat will take you to the any region of your choice."

"Cool!" exclaimed the now excited trainer before reality decided to send in another body blow. "But Professor Rowan, how will I pay for the boat? I've got no money, no food and no equipment. Just Piplup."

"Here." Rowan put a hand in one of his lab coat's many pockets and pulled out five neat sets of notes. "£5,000. I'll take it from your pay later."

"Thank you Professor, I won't let you down I promise." David half-shouted with the typical exuberance of an excited child.

"I'm sure you won't, now off you go, and don't worry if you do too badly in your first year. This year you should just set down the groundwork and maybe try for the first three gyms."

"Um... but what do I do now sir?"

"Buy yourself some supplies in the pokemart and also a few pokeballs."

"Yes sir." With that David raced out of the lab leaving Professor Rowan to his research. Rowan slowly sank into his chair feeling more than a little old. Finally he opened a video conference to one of his fellow researchers.

"Field Researcher Lucas?" He inquired. "I need a favour."

* * *

It took David five minutes to find the Pokemart and once there he released Piplup from the confines of it's pokeball.

"Ok, Piplup, from now on you're one of the team,you got that?" David briefly looked embarrassed as he realised something, "actually at the moment you are the team, but nevermind you're still the strongest pokemon I have and if average statistics are anything to go by you'll stay that way. Any objections?"

"Pip Piplup" said Piplup shaking it's head.

"Good, we need to find some supplies, you find the food, I'll find the rest." The small penguin waddled off in search of the food section while David surveyed the store before proceeding to the pokeball section.

He carefully reviewed the price lists. Pokeballs £200, Great Balls £600, Ultra Balls £1200. With remarkable forethought for someone not yet a full decade old he got out his pokedex and after selecting the phone option called Prof. Rowan.

"What can I do for you, David?" said the Professor, expecting some minor foolish query.

"Professor, how much will a boat journey actually cost?"

"Depends on the region, my boy, have you decided yet?"

"I was thinking... Heonn?" The answer coming out as a question.

"Heonn eh? Well let's see... a private journey will be quicker but your unlikely to be able to afford it while a passenger ship will cost maybe two grand at most but may take up to a month to get there and then of course you'll need to be flown to Littleroot because the poke'mon there are the only ones that a new starter is likely to be able to handle, so that might cost another five hundred so I'd put aside three thousand at most for the trip, and spend the rest on food and other such vital equipment."

"Three thousand! That barely leaves enough, for a team and supplies."

"Sorry David but that's just how it is, who knows perhaps you'll get lucky and win some more cash from your battles."

"Thanks Prof. Rowan, I'll try not to let you down, David out." He shut off the call and sighed before walking through the aisles to find Piplup. Piplup had fortunately found the food section and was currently trying to lift a jar of cheap pokemon food from the bottom shelf. David knelt down and picked the jar up, much to the chagrin of the penguin.

"Piplup piplup pip!" Exclaimed the penguin, shaking a flipper.

"Yes, I know you could but sad to say we're not as rich as I thought." The boy looked at the price tag and grimaced before selecting an even cheaper food. "Sorry Piplup but this will have to do." He picked up two more jars and handed one to Piplup.

"Pip piplup." remarked the penguin happily.

David walked off to the next aisle in search of a reasonable price backpack. Eventually he found one that seemed tough enough to stand up to the strain pokemon journeys were known to entail.

When he finally reached the till he was carrying the backpack (£270 but durable and with adjustable straps so that he could get it to fit), the pokemon food at £5 a jar came to £30, his own food which was enough hard crackers and processed ham to last a month (£150) also two pokeballs and one great ball (£1000), he also bought some repels but went for a more effective version (£700) and finally a sleeping bag small enough to fit in the large backpack (£160)

It totalled £2310 leaving very little in case of problems. Once he'd paid he phoned the professor.

"Professor I've got the stuff now what?"

"Come back to the lab, Lucas should be here any minute."

"Ok sir."

He ended the call and headed back to the lab at a quick jog until a glance over his shoulder told him Piplup was lagging far behind. Stopping and waiting for his new pokemon to catch up he then picked up the protesting penguin and carried it to the lab.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry there's been such a delay, I am currently working on multiple projects and am actually spending more time deciding on which to continue than actually writing.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Doing my best to do a new chapter for nearly everything, which means the two of you on author alert may find your email very busy when you wake up. Sorry about that. Anyway, without further ado...

Lucas hadn't been what he'd expected. Instead of the nerdy field researcher he'd thought would be turning up Lucas appeared to be a normal trainer in every way, admittedly a very strong trainer with all the badges from two different Leagues.

David walked forwards to and offered his hand to Lucas who shook it politely.

"So you're new blood for the 'dex project eh? Got to say it's changed since my day." David looked at him, he couldn't even be twenty years old.

"Your day, Mr Lucas?"

"Just Lucas please, can't stand formality, get too much at those good-for-nothing funding meetings. And yes, my day, I started young as well, just ten years old, not many ever start out younger than that. Anyway." He opened a pokeball, sending out a large Staraptor. "Hop on, Wings here can easily cope with two of us."

David quickly hopped onto the huge bird's back holding on tightly to the feathers beneath him.

"Don't pull his feathers, you're safer on Wings here than you are on the ground."

"Sorry." David mumbled.

"You weren't to know, I imagine this is all quite unnerving for you. Not many get chucked into the deep end this early." Lucas chuckled. "Still the Professor obviously thinks you've got potential or he'd never have suggested it."

Wings took off and the two lapsed into silence, both veteran and newbie admiring the view as the world flew past below them.

Less than a day later a nearly penniless David was bound for Heonn, and in for a journey he would never forget.

Author's Note: I know it's ridiculously short and that as readers you all deserve better but I thought it made an excellent dividing point. Next chapter will feature the cruise ship.


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